If your outdoor deck is looking tired, it may be high time to give it a “pick me up” in the form of a new deck coating. And there’s no better time to refinish a deck than spring, when you can enjoy the fruits of your labor all summer long. In years past, many homeowners used oil-based or “alkyd” deck stains, but these products have some major shortcomings: for one, they soon become very brittle; and second, they absorb the sun’s harmful UV rays. As a result, oil-based coatings quickly degrade, wear away, and must often be re-applied as often as once a year. Fortunately, technology has come to the rescue, and manufacturers now offer some far better options in the form of water-based 100% acrylic deck coatings. These products share none of the shortcomings of oil-based coatings, so they not only make a deck look great . . . but, thankfully, they also last much longer. Read on to learn why 100% acrylic coatings perform so much better than oil-based products. Unlike oil-based deck coatings, water-based 100% acrylic coatings form a very flexible protective film that is also highly resistant to UV rays.

So, acrylics are really the perfect ‘antidote’ for what ails oil-based deck products. The proof is easy to see on the hundreds of wood test decks at the Paint Quality Institute’s outdoor exposure locations. Time after time, the acrylic coatings outperform oil-based coatings, and that’s true on every type of wood, from redwood, cedar and pine, to pressure-treated wood and wood composite deck materials. If you like the idea of stretching out the staining cycle on your outdoor deck, then a water-based 100% acrylic coating is the way to go. You can even choose from three popular options, each one offering some specific advantages: Semi-transparent acrylic stains are lightly pigmented coatings that permit you to either maintain, or change, the color of your wood or composite without hiding its grain or texture. These coatings are water-repellant and contain special ingredients to keep mildew in check. Semi-transparent coatings typically last about 18 months. Solid color acrylic stains -- sometimes referred to as opaque stains -- have more pigment than semi-transparent products, so their color tends to obscure the grain of the wood.

At the same time, that added pigment provides extra UV protection and better durability, so solid color stains last longer, typically, three to five years. Wood restoration acrylic coatings are the product of choice for severely weathered and some habitually neglected decks. These are basically super-thick acrylic coatings that actually fill in and conceal cracks and crevices up to ¼-inch deep. Plus, these coatings create a slip-resistant finish that resists future cracking and peeling. As with the other acrylic products, these come in a wide range of attractive colors and offer some mildew protection, too. All of these acrylic coatings have excellent adhesion to wood decks and other surfaces, which is another reason they last so long. And unlike oil-based or alkyd coatings, which require solvents for cleanup, you can clean up after applying water-based acrylics with plain soap and water. So, unless your idea of a good time is applying another coat of stain, think about using a longer-lasting 100% acrylic coating when your wood deck starts sending out distress signals.

You’ll be doing your deck, and yourself, a big favor! For a version of this story that can be repurposed for your publication or website, please see our related press release and be sure to join our mailing list for future releases. Garage Doors & Guttersexterior paint colors white roof Soffit, Fascia & Eavesdecorating ideas for large homes These are commonly used gloss levels for surfaces listed above. silver wedding decorations for saleGloss may be affected by texture, porosity of the surface and atmospheric conditions. decorated christmas tree storage

Please contact a Dunn-Edwards representative or your local store for specific product availability. See the EVERSHIELD® difference for yourself EVERSHIELD® exterior Flat and Velvet paints outperform the competition when it comes to resistance to water intrusion. metal wall decor outdoorA thicker water bead indicates a greater degree of protection against moisture intrusion, meaning the substrate and/or paint film is less likely to be susceptible to mildew and other contaminants.high quality exterior paint for wood Paint is applied side-by-side on a black Leneta scrub panel using a 6 mil Bird film applicator. Allow the samples to dry at room temperature. Apply .5 ml of room temperature tap water to the film by lightly touching the surface of the coating with the end of a disposable pipette.

Wait five minutes and then take eye-level pictures of the beads. Dirt Pick-Up Resistance Test EVERSHIELD® outperforms competitors in its resistance to dirt. When exterior paints are subjected to heat from the sun, they can become soft and tacky, allowing dirt to stick to the film. EVERSHIELD® Eggshell, Low Sheen, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss paints provide better dirt pick-up resistance, meaning your painted surfaces will look newer longer. Paint is applied to aluminum panels and allowed to dry at room temperature for seven days. A layer of black iron oxide slurry is applied to the bottom half of the panel and allowed to dry at room temperature for two hours. To accelerate testing, the panels are placed in an oven at 120° F for two hours to further dry the slurry on the paint film. The panels are cooled and washed under cold tap water. The amount of slurry that remains on the panel is the dirt pick-up. While all paints lose their luster over time due to exposure to harmful UV rays, lower-quality paints will dull much sooner than higher grade paints.